Explanation:
When the Moon's shadow reached out and touched Earth's southern
hemisphere on 2001 June 21, the first
total
solar eclipse of the 21st century began.
Starting in the Atlantic, the dark, central lunar shadow or umbra
traced a path which crossed southern Africa and the large island
of
Madagascar before ending at sunset in the Indian Ocean.
Of course, as the lunar disk
blocked the Sun the total phase offered
splendid views of the elusive outer solar corona.
But, as seen in this stunning telescopic view from southern
Madagascar, it also revealed an
active solar limb bristling with
pinkish, planet-sized prominences.
Taken as totality began, this image of the last bright rays of
sunlight shining through dips and valleys in irregular lunar
terrain gives the illusion of a
glittering jewel set in a pink celestial
ring.